Solved cryptogram
Zinc protects steel by corroding first, so a galvanized nail rusts in place of the iron.
Chemistry Facts, sourced to Royal Society of Chemistry.
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What it means
This is sacrificial protection, and it works even where the coating is scratched through. Zinc gives up electrons more readily than iron does, so as long as the two are in electrical contact the zinc is the one that oxidizes and the exposed iron is left alone. The same principle puts blocks of zinc or magnesium on ship hulls and buried pipelines.
The claim comes from Royal Society of Chemistry.
- SourceRoyal Society of Chemistry
- CollectionChemistry Facts
- Difficultymedium
- Length71 letters, 20 unique
Nearby in the collection
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